Wireless communication is very common for private and business uses, and many businesses depend on this technology. In this context, an employee driving a car often receives a call on his/her mobile phone. Since it is very dangerous (and even forbidden according to particular national laws) to answer phone calls while driving a car, it is recommended that drivers switch off their mobile phones. However, switching off mobile phones may impact the efficiency of a business and may lead to the loss of some business opportunities. As such, it is desirable to solve this problem through a method and system which, on one hand, avoids active phone conversations from taking place from a car (and more generally from a moving vehicle), and on the other hand, does not cut off the wireless communication.
The problem to be resolved includes preventing any incoming or outgoing wireless communication from taking place when the vehicle speed exceeds a predefined threshold, while avoiding at the same time, the wireless communication from being cut off. Both parties engaged in the wireless communication (the caller and the called person) must thus be aware of: the current situation (active wireless communication plus vehicle speed above a predefined threshold); and the actions to take to leave this situation. Such actions can include: the end of the call by any one of the parties (by either the caller or the called person); or the reduction of the vehicle speed below the predefined threshold. As a result, the problem includes defining a “call suspension” state where any conversation is suspended with the possibility to leave this state either by ending the call or by reducing the vehicle speed.
It is also an objective to address this problem through a method and system which could be implemented and manufactured in a low cost device. Furthermore, the solution should neither depend on the physical characteristics of the wireless communication (frequency band) nor on the protocol for accessing the wireless communication. Indeed, there are today many different and incompatible wireless networks deployed all over the world and these networks do not share the same frequency bands and protocols. The problem is that the “network agility” required by the devices to support the major (if not all) wireless networks, leads to unaffordable cost and complexity.
It is also an objective to address this cost and complexity problem through a method and system which can be easily implemented without impacting the architecture and design of the current communication apparatus. Thus, the solution should be “external” to the communication apparatus (e.g., cellular phone). In other worlds, the solution should provide “apparatus agility.”
The aforementioned problem of controlling wireless communications issued from or directed to a moving vehicle has been addressed in the literature and has resulted in several patent documents. However, each patent document shows severe limitations, as outlined below.
Japanese patent application JP 10 233836 entitled “On Vehicle Portable Telephone System” discloses a system and method where incoming calls received within a moving vehicle, when the vehicle exceeds a predefined speed limit, are directed to a voice mail system where the caller is invited to record a voice message, before the call is closed. With such a system, the call recipient within the moving vehicle does not have the opportunity to enter in communication with the originator of the call, even if the vehicle speed decreases below a predefined threshold. The call recipient must later connect to the voice mail system to determine if incoming calls were received during transit. In this Japanese patent application, the objective of defining a “call suspension” state is not met.
Japanese patent application JP 2001-103547 entitled “Call Receiving Controller for Wireless Communication Terminal, Controller for the Wireless Communication Terminal and In-Vehicle Wireless Communication System” discloses a system and method where incoming calls received within a moving vehicle, when the vehicle exceeds a predefined speed limit, are polluted by a system referred to as “bird clapper” or “jammer,” preventing communication between parties. This method and system relies on a so-called “arrival-of-the-mail control unit” to discriminate the recipient phone number, which therefore directly depends on the wireless communication protocol. Furthermore the communication jamming can only be achieved within the frequency band where the wireless communication takes place. For these two reasons, the method and system disclosed in this patent application directly depends on the characteristics of the wireless communication channel and protocol, and therefore does not meet the objective of “network agility.” Further, the method and system according to this Japanese patent application prevent wireless communication from taking place, without providing any opportunity to carry on the call if the speed of the vehicle decreases below a predefined threshold. Therefore, the objective to define a “call suspension” state is not met.
Japanese patent application JA 10 013502 entitled “Portable Telephone Set Used for Vehicle” discloses a system and method where incoming calls received within a moving vehicle, when the vehicle exceeds a predefined speed limit, are blocked by a computer on the vehicle which forces the cellular phone to enter into a state where wireless communications cannot be carried on. With such a system, the call recipient within the moving vehicle has no chance of knowing that an incoming call has been received. Therefore the objective to define a “call suspension” state is not met. Furthermore, the means required by this method and system for forcing the cellular phone to enter in a specific state clearly depend on the design and implementation of the cellular phone itself. Thus, the objective of “apparatus agility” is not met.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,532 entitled “Incoming Call Control Based on the Moving Speed of a Radio Communications Apparatus” discloses a system and method where the communication apparatus itself determines its speed by a fading pitch detection circuit aimed to detect the variation of a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). If this pitch detection circuit determines that the communication apparatus is moving above a predefined speed limit, then a voice message is played to the call initiator to inform him/her of the current situation preventing the call to take place. Therefore, the objective to define a “call suspension” state is not met. This method and system can only be implemented in an embodiment where the communication apparatus comprises the fading pitch detection circuit, missing therefore the objective of “apparatus agility.”
Japanese patent application JP 11341570 entitled “Mobile Portable Telephone” discloses a method and system which determines if the output of a converter, which converts detected acceleration of a vehicle in which a mobile portable telephone is used into corresponding velocity, exceeds a predefined threshold value. The communication apparatus itself determines its speed by means of an acceleration detection system coupled with relevant integration algorithms. If the acceleration detection system determines that the communication apparatus is moving at a speed greater than a predefined threshold, then a specific communication mode for the portable device is forced to prevent the wireless communication to take place. Therefore the objective to define a “call suspension” state is not met. This method and system can only be implemented in an embodiment where the communication apparatus comprises an acceleration detection system. Therefore, the “apparatus agility” objective is not achieved.
Each of the aforementioned patent documents have one or multiple limitations preventing them from satisfactorily solving the problems previously raised. For example, none of these patents allows wireless communication to be suspended during a transient period until the vehicle speed decreases below a predefined threshold. Furthermore, the agility (either the network agility or the apparatus agility) required to build a simple and low cost implementation of the solution is not met by these documents.